‘Epic Ride: The Story of Universal Theme Parks’ review | Epic Universe docuseries on Peacock
“Epic Ride: The Story of Universal Theme Parks,” an upcoming docuseries on Peacock, is a must-watch for Epic Universe fans; we got to see all episodes ahead of the series’ Sept. 29 Nov. 17, 2025, debut.
As of Sept. 25, 2025, the release date of “Epic Ride” is postponed until Nov. 17, Peacock representatives shared with Attractions Magazine.
If you enjoyed “The Imagineering Story” (2019) on Disney+ and wish there was a Universal version, “Epic Ride: The Story of Universal Theme Parks” is your wish come true. The three-part docuseries is sophisticated, sleek, and best of all, not in-your-face or promotional. There’s no on-screen host or narrator; instead, viewers hear the history of Universal parks, but especially Epic Universe, from artists, executives, and front-line team members themselves. Of particular note, film director Steven Spielberg and former Universal executive Jay Stein are in the doc a lot; their remarks are a real treat.
Photo courtesy of Peacock
The format of “Epic Ride” switches back and forth between two narratives:
- tracking the history of Universal in chronological order
- documenting the progress and preparation of Epic Universe on the ground inside the park during its final six months of construction
Each of the three episodes is just under an hour long.
Executive producers John Marks and Jon Strong clearly developed “Epic Ride” with theme park superfans in mind, but the docuseries provides enough context to still be compelling if the viewer has never visited a Universal park. I especially enjoyed the deep dive into the history of Universal Classic Monsters, a subject I know very little about, juxtaposed with those characters’ implementation in Dark Universe.
Photo by Blake Taylor
The docuseries isn’t afraid to show problems and challenges Universal has faced over the years (and a few it still faces today).
- You’ll see a rehearsal for “Le Cirque Arcanus,” a new show inside Epic Universe’s “Harry Potter” area, go completely wrong.
- You’ll hear former Universal executives complain about former Disney CEO Michael Eisner.
- You’ll see the moment when engineers knew the flying dragon drones intended for Epic Universe’s Isle of Berk wouldn’t be ready for opening day.
This candor and transparency is a natural part of the artistic process, but it’s especially refreshing considering “Epic Ride” is an official Universal program and the powers that be at Peacock decided not to sugarcoat its content.
Photo by Blake Taylor
Also of note, for the fan who loves to see what backstage areas of the parks look like, “Epic Ride” delivers far beyond what any Disney documentary would dare reveal. Particularly when it comes to walk-around characters, Disney is always very protective of “preserving the magic,” even in behind-the-scenes footage. In contrast, “Epic Ride” cameras show:
- Hiccup’s actor rehearsing out of costume for “The Untrainable Dragon”
- puppeteers learning how to operate the fantastic beasts of “Le Cirque Arcanus”
- two Stormfly dragon costumes backstage at once (!)
“Epic Ride” is far from the complete picture of Universal’s theme park history, but that’s okay since this is easily the most thorough and professional documentation Universal has ever produced about its theme parks. A few major attractions in the company’s history, such as The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man at Universal Islands of Adventure, are skipped completely for the sake of conciseness (though if you’re interested in Spidey’s history, don’t miss our exclusive interview with Thierry Coup). Even when covering Epic Universe, the story isn’t quite complete, as cameras weren’t allowed into Super Nintendo World whatsoever until the park opened for guests.
The most Epic Universe coverage in the docuseries goes toward Stardust Racers, Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment, and “Le Cirque Arcanus.”
Photo by Matt Roseboom
Additionally, while some of the interviewees might lead superfans to believe the series might have some sneak peeks at the future, there weren’t any in the screeners we viewed. Even though Vin Diesel (“Fast & Furious” actor), Jon M. Chu (“Wicked” director), and Michelle Yeoh (“Wicked” actor) are all interviewed, there’s no mention of the upcoming Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift coaster for Universal Studios Hollywood or any update on potential future “Wicked” rides for the parks.
“Epic Ride: The Story of Universal Theme Parks” is a condensed survey of Universal’s theme park history and a thorough exploration of its present. Given the scarcity of documentaries of this nature from Universal (in contrast to the abundance of such programs and books from Disney), this is the first time many fans will be able to peek behind the curtain at the Universal parks in such an in-depth way. Hopefully it’s the beginning of much more to come.
“Epic Ride: The Story of Universal Theme Parks” streams on Peacock beginning Nov. 17, 2025.
Stay tuned to Attractions Magazine for daily coverage of theme park news, trip reports from parks around the world, and exclusive interviews. For even more Epic Universe, dive into our 64-page Epic Universe souvenir print magazine, now available, with touring tips, exclusive backstage interviews, hidden details inside the park, and construction timelapse photos over time.
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